Southern Weddings

The sparkly, winter gorgeousness continues with Molly + Ben’s romantic and warm Christmas reception. String lights and candles decorated the barn, which was even complete with a fully decorated Christmas tree! Just in case guests started to feel a bit of that winter chill, hot ginger toddies were served in addition to the Southern food fare at the buffet station. Molly kept warm in a white fur stole. I must say, it looks quite fab as the newlyweds made their way through confetti and into their horse-drawn carriage! Thanks again to Meredith Perdue for helping us get in the Christmas spirit!

See all the photos from Molly + Ben’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? Our ceremony was held in a church, my dad walked me down the aisle and Ben and I said traditional Christian vows. I wrapped a monogrammed handkerchief made out of my mom’s wedding dress around my bouquet and wore her veil. Ben’s dad was his best man. Ben and I exchanged wedding gifts the night before and then took communion in the ceremony.
What was Southern about your wedding? The barn is the oldest surviving early twentieth-century fair exhibition hall in North Carolina. It was built in 1917 for use at the Sandhills Fair, one of the major country fairs in the Southeast from 1915 through 1925. We had a Southern station at our buffet table which included barbecue sliders, mac and cheese, fried green tomatoes and more. We served hot ginger toddies as well. Our cake was an almond pound cake.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I would probably say choosing a date. It was hard finding a time that worked for everybody. Originally, we didn’t want a winter wedding; we worried about our guests being stressed with it being the week before Christmas. In the end, I think everyone had a great time and a lot of our guests said that the wedding helped get them in the Christmas spirit! Plus we got to spend our first Christmas together on the beach in Mexico!
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? For the wedding weekend, we rented two cottages for our wedding party, one house for Ben and his groomsmen and one for me and my bridesmaids. It isn’t often that all of our friends are together in one place, so this was really special and worth the cost! As for the actual wedding day, I would probably say our getaway vehicle which was a horse and carriage! It was magical and a perfect exit for a wedding held during the holiday season!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? There are two moments that really stand out in our memories. We were both really anxious about standing in front of everyone at our ceremony so we decided to see each other before our ceremony. Our “first look” eased our nerves and was a very quiet, intimate moment and a gentle reminder of the true meaning of the day! We also took communion together in our wedding ceremony which we felt was a very special, humbling way to begin our marriage.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding: It’s easy to get distracted by all the details so we had to remind ourselves that although we were planning a wedding, more importantly we were planning for a lifetime together. It really is true that money can’t buy the things you will remember the most about your wedding. Regardless of the type of flowers you have or what your cake looks and tastes like, the wedding day is a holy, special, joyful occasion; try to enjoy every minute of it!

Photographer: Meredith Perdue // Second Shooter: Graham Terhune // Planner: bride and bride’s mother // Ceremony venue: The Village Chapel // Reception venue: The Fairbarn // Florist: Aldenaye // Wedding Cake Baker: Sweet Fi’s Cakes // Caterer: Mark Elliot // Rentals: Richmond Rentals and Sales // Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston, Vineyard Collection // Hair Stylist: The Spa at the Pinehurst Resort // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Champagne dresses by Anna Elyse, black cocktail dresses were bridesmaids’ own.

Meredith Perdue is one of our fabulous Blue Ribbon Vendors!

Written with love by Nicole